


Never Too Old For a Bedtime Story

by TheReviewess



Series: Heroics Run In The Family [14]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Family Fluff, Post-Blight, Skyhold, Storytelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 07:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15552795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheReviewess/pseuds/TheReviewess
Summary: Faenra Lavellan approaches Leliana one day, asking for a story about the Hero of Ferelden.





	Never Too Old For a Bedtime Story

“Tell me again about her?” Faenra Lavellan asked Leliana. The small elf sat cross-legged on one of Leliana’s tables up in the rookery. The day was ending, leaving them as the only two up there.

“You know about her,” Leliana told her, ignoring the young Inquisitor for her papers in her hands. “More than anyone else, really.”

“But no one ever told me what she was like during the Blight!” Faenra replied while eagerly leaning forward. “Please! You have the best stories!”

While she did enjoy the occasional stroke of her ego, Leliana said nothing. Her work was far more important that appealing to the childlike leader. After all, it was due to her diligence that the tiny mage was kept alive. Many would argue that The Inquisitor had quite a bit of skill, which is how she had survived so long. In reality, the only skill their little Inquisitor had was sheer dumb luck. It wasn't her fault, as she was still young, but still, she needed to be training more. She was the leader of the Inquisition and if she did not shape up, it could kill the Inquisition itself, or even worse, her if she wasn't careful. Until then, Leliana was running herself ragged trying to keep her protected at all times.

A loud sigh brought Leliana out of her thoughts and blue eyes glanced over top of her papers. The Inquisitor has slumped over on the table, knocking various documents aside, and sending some fluttering to the stone floor. The girl certainly had a flair for the dramatics, much like someone else she knew. In all honesty, Faenra was very much like Aerinwyn Mahariel. Dramatic, hot-headed, willing to fight a Qunari twice her size with only her fists, and stupidly lucky. Of course, Aerinwyn was none of these things in the beginning (except maybe luckier than a basket of four leaf clovers and willing to fight a Qunari, she had to help put a stop to that more than once). It was only after years of friendship and courtship did Leliana learn all of these traits.

“She was different.” Leliana finally said before her eyes flickered back down to her papers.

This caught the attention of the Inquisitor. She sat up remarkably quick, legs dangling off the edge of table and hands gripping the edge. Out of her peripheral's Leliana could still make out the eagerness written across Faenra's face.

“Aren't you too old for bedtime stories?” Leliana teased.

“Is Ma too old for bedtime stories?” Faenra asked her.

Touché.

Sighing, Leliana put her papers down and settled into a wooden chair by the table. 

“During the Blight, she was… different. Not as we know her now.” Leliana told her, trying her best to explain it. “The woman you know is fun loving and silly. She sleeps on thick tree branches and will fight a shem if they even try and disrespect her.”

“And win! That's the most important part.” Faenra added quickly.

Leliana giggled, “Right. Well, Aerinwyn during the Blight was… cold and calculating. She was very closed off, and angry at everything. She had little care for anyone or anything other than the mission. Ending the Blight was priority, and she would do whatever was best to accomplish that mission. During that time she often would try to separate her emotions from duty, which is why she seemed very cold.” 

This was a dramatic difference from the playful elf that would dance with Leliana in the firelight and kiss her under the stars. Or the elf that belted out bawdy drinking tunes with a beautiful voice whilst standing on a table, piss ass drunk. The elf that fought with such passion and would kick the ass of anyone that dared insult one of her people.  Aerinwyn Mahariel was the one that stood up for the little people of the world.

“She nearly started a fistfight with Alistair and actually did with Sten on multiple occasions, well, the Arishok now. He was Sten then.” That made Leliana smile a little. “Every night she would hunt for our dinner, and proceed to practice with her bow from dinner until the first watch was over. Usually about three to four hours.”

“That's a long time…” Faenra mumbled.

“That being said, we decided to give her the first watch often. She had the weight of the world on her shoulders you know, and it was our way of trying to help her. If she was not first watch, she was the last watch. Either way, she trained while she was on watch.” Leliana remembered those night. The sound of arrows striking wood would often lull her to sleep.

“She was not friendly, choosing to often keep her distance from the others,” Leliana explained. “She really only spoke to give orders. It was to the point where we believed she hated everyone except Fen’Falon and Morrigan, strangely enough.”

“Why Morrigan?” Fae had been told stories about the Shem woman, but they had never once met.

“I believe they had a mutual dislike of everyone, thus they bonded over that.” Leliana explained. “Their favorite pastime was sitting by the fire in absolute silence.”

“That's… strange.”

Strange indeed, given that the Warden hated silence of all kind.

“It took her time to open up. She would throw out tidbits of information on occasion, but it was rare.”

_ “You never join us by the fire,” Leliana said, settling down not to far from the Warden as she picked up another arrow. _

_ “What shem would like the company of an elf?” Aerinwyn Mahariel replied and she aimed at a target. Alistair made it for her, painting rings for her and everything. Already the arrows were clustered around the bullseye, coming close to each other, but never touching, as to keep the arrows intact. She took a deep breath and then released. “Especially and elf that leads them?” _

_ “What about a friend?” Leliana asked, watching Aerinwyn pick up another arrow. _

_ “As if any shem would wish to be friends with an elf.” The Warden scoffed, taking aim once more. _

_ “I would.” Leliana said quietly. In that moment, she watched the arrow fly, missing the cluster by an entire hand length. _

“She was scared, of everything to be honest. After all, she was one of two Wardens in one very large country, with a nearly impossible task. Then remember she was an elf, in a country where elves were just servants and where the Wardens were condemned.” The Spymaster explained, holding up a finger as she made her point.

“Also remember that the father of her child recently passed, and she contacted the Blight Sickness, where the only cure was to leave her only child behind to go join and fight for the Wardens, that were later vilified. And, to top it all off, she was the only Dalish in our ragtag team of warriors, most of which were human, and she was expected to somehow lead them to victory and save the world, or die trying. She had to do all of this knowing that she likely would never see her child again.” 

As she finished her statement, Leliana looked over to the Inquisitor who seemed a bit stunned. It was as if she was just now realizing how hopeless and bleak the Warden's situation was… and how lucky the Inquisitor was to have so many people supporting her when the Warden had almost nothing.

“That's a lot to deal with.” Faenra finally said after a moment. 

“And she was a little older than you and Sera are now.” Leliana added, “can you imagine Sera trying to gather an army and end the Blight?”

Faenra snorted because that would be so unlike the elf. “Oh Creators, no! It would be the end of the world as we knew it!”

Which was ironic, given how similar Mahariel truly was to the elf in question. At least, she she was not acting as the Warden Commander.

“In part, I am thankful for the Warden that Aerin had to be. While she may have been angry, hot-headed, and a bit too eager to spill blood, she certainly got her results. In the beginning we may have had some issues…” Leliana remembered how Aerinwyn emotionlessly killed Loghain’s men back in the Lothering Tavern and how shocked she was that anyone would do such a thing.  “But she gradually allowed her emotions to help her make her choices.” Like when she refused to murder the mages when Cullen asked in the Tower, or how she used the Mages to help save Connor. Of course, Leliana suspected that the reason Aerinwyn saved them was due to thoughts of a certain young mage.

“So you're saying that she wasn't like me at all,” Faenra finally said.

“Not at all.”

That was not what the Inquisitor wanted to hear, apparently. The girl hung her head a groaned, and Leliana could see why. After all, many believed the Hero of Ferelden to be an incredible leader, she was idolized by human and elves alike. So, it made sense that Faenra would want to be like the Warden.

“That being said, you are doing a remarkable job as Inquisitor.” 

“You don't have to lie to make me feel better, Shema,” Faenra grumbled, hopping down off the table. “I know I’ll never be as good as her. She is amazing and I… well, I’m barely an adult.” Her fingers came up to brush the Vallaslin that marked her face. It was done to honor Mythal, much like the Warden’s.

“She also did not have a caring team supporting her like you do.”

That made the elf look up.

Leaning back in her chair, Leliana smiled a little. “Already you have a close network of companions, each willing to lay down their life for yours. You are not just partners in battle, but shield siblings and friends. They respect you, even if Cassandra may argue with some of your decisions, she still supports whatever you say and she believes in you.”

“So?”

“It took months before we could say the same for Aerin.”

That made Faenra's eyebrows shot up.

“The closeness you and your companions have gotten in this time took Aerinwyn twice the time to come close.” Leliana explained. “You are with your people, engaging them and interacting. Not secluded and hiding away. It was only after six months of traveling did Aerinwyn really open up to us.”

“Oh.”

“So, all things considered, you are doing rather well.”

“Is this your subtle way of telling me I need to grow up?” Faenra asked her.

Leliana smiled, now standing up. “Never.” She told the elf stepping towards her and pulling her into a tight embrace. “Never grow up. Life becomes so dull then.”

Smiling, the elf let herself fall into the embrace. Moments like these were rare between them. “Okay.”

“But you could stand to be a little more mature.”

The Inquisitor laughed. “Moment over. You ruined it.”

“I am your mother, I can do as I please.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” Faenra mumbled, pulling away.

"Brat,” the Spymaster told her playfully. “Go to bed. You need to rest.”

“Actually I think I'm going to go practice a little.” Faenra told her with a small smile. “I managed to best Dorian the other day, but I need to make sure it wasn't just luck.”

“Well, don't stay up too late of I’ll send Cassandra after you.” That was a valid threat. Cassandra would look at the Inquisitor all angry like and drag her to her quarters by her ears. While the Inquisitor often didn't see eye to eye with the Seeker, that woman was fiercely protective of the tiny.

“Alright! Alright!”

Leliana laughed a little at Faenra's 'annoyed child’ act, before returning to her work.

Sometime later she caught sight of bright lights from outside, likely coming from someone practicing spell work. As she walked out to her balcony she could see as Faenra effortlessly wove spells like she was one with her staff. 

It was as she watched when she realized that perhaps Faenra had her own skills, and Leliana had been too worried about her to truly acknowledge them. Perhaps in her desire to protect her, Leliana had not allowed Faenra to be challenged. And, perhaps she was wrong in her previous assessment of the Inquisitor’s seriousness. 

Grinning, she returned to her desk and began to write a letter.

_ My love, _

_ Faenra is truly your daughter... _

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This was written a while ago and I figured I would post it! My Inquisitor, Faenra Lavellan, for those who didn't catch on, is the biological child of Tamlen and Warden Mahariel. Quick Background: Mahariel was a wild child, and very stupid. Got knocked up as a teenager and had a baby with Tamlen. At about 26ish, Mahariel gets called to serve in the Wardens after Tamlen dies. After hearing about the tragedy of Ostagar, Fae gets sent to a different clan, dropping the surname Mahariel to protect herself. Post-Blight, she gets found by mom with Leliana and the three become a happy family. Despite her Dalish roots, Fae is decently traveled, and knows enough about Shem to keep herself from saying something wrong. Once Leliana and Mahariel have to go their separate ways, Fae happily goes to Clan Lavellan, taking on Lavellan as her surname and waits for her parents to come home... And then Inquisition happens. Fae is about 20 in the events of Inquisition and this story takes place just after they get to Skyhold.


End file.
